Strategy & Implementation Strategy Consultant Makiʻilei Ishihara and Research & Evaluation Director Carla Hostetter are the most recent recipients of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ (OHA) quarterly (April – June 2026) Alakaʻi Awards.
Ishihara and Hostetter were honored on August 13 for their outstanding service to OHA.
Two Alakaʻi Awards are awarded each quarter: one for non-supervisory employees, and one for supervisors. The award honors staff members who demonstrate commitment to OHA’s mission and values, and who consistently go “above and beyond.” Awardees are nominated by their peers and selected by the Board of Trustees.
Ishihara, whose focus in the Strategy & Implementation division is on education, was recognized for her aloha, creativity and deep sense of pono. Trustee Luana Alapa, who presented Ishihara’s award, read, “whether developing curriculum, supporting communications projects, sharing her talents in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi, music and storytelling, or simply encouraging those around her, Makiʻilei brings excellence and intention to everything she does.”
Special note was made to Ishihara’s work over the past months in spearheading the successful revival of OHA’s ʻAha ʻŌpio, an immersive, week-long youth leadership and civic engagement program held in June for the first time in more than two decades.
With few existing resources to build upon, Ishihara helped reconstruct the program from the ground up – planning, coordinating, and developing content to create a meaningful, ʻōpio-centered experience.
Hostetter, was lauded for her exceptional leadership, steadfast commitment to OHA’s mission, her professionalism, integrity, collaboration and genuine care for her team that has created an environment where people feel supported, valued and empowered to do their best work.
Presenting Hostetter’s award, Trustee John Waiheʻe read the following manaʻo: “Carla’s leadership has produced significant results … she championed the establishment of the Research System Program, helping to build greater technical capacity and organizational self-sufficiency, and has provided strategic direction across a wide range of research initiatives.
“She has skillfully managed complex budgets, contracts and project timelines. From island community reports to the Native Hawaiian Data Book, and work related to the Public Land Trust, Carla brings both strategic vision and operational excellence to an incredibly diverse portfolio.”
E hoʻomaikaʻi ʻana iā kō OHA wāhine mana Makiʻilei Ishihara a me Carla Hostetter!
 quarterly (April - June 2026) Alakaʻi Awards.){kind=link}